Taylor's Morris Keeps Football Fun

Volusia sports

The Veteran Coach Teaches His Players To Keep Winning And Losing In Perspective.

October 16, 1996|By Peter Thomson of The Sentinel Staff

PIERSON — They play their football on Friday nights, not unlike the majority of high school teams across the country.

But this is not a Friday Night Lights story.

The chance of viewing any airborne radio headsets or visors along the Taylor High sideline is rare.

Players who make mistakes during the course of battle are more likely to be consoled, not castigated.

The crowd that surrounds Swanson Field is generally devoid of second-guessing skeptics.

Tom Morris fully understands that football is still just a game - win or lose.

Morris, who is in his 12th season as Taylor's head coach, arrived at the small north Volusia County school in 1977 after graduating from Auburn University, where he saw limited playing time for the Southeastern Conference school.

Knowing first-hand about the ups and downs of big-time football, Morris has somehow managed to keep the cost of winning in its proper perspective.

''I have worked around coaches with that kind of attitude,'' said Morris in reference to the win-at-all-cost mentality. ''In the long run it might be detrimental to the kids. I truly believe that.''

Taylor High is the antithesis of a Bradenton Manatee or a Sarasota Riverview. Those schools play big time football where a couple losses during any given season spell absolute failure and coaches are wound as tight as a drum.

Win or lose, Morris is the same amiable, entertaining guy.

There are no post-game tirades in the Taylor locker room after a loss. Instead, reporters are often entertained by Morris with some of his many humorous anecdotes.

''I want it to be fun,'' said Morris whose Wildcats have struggled with a 1-4 record this season. ''It doesn't matter if we go 10-0 or 0-10. If there is something we did to help the kids, then it is positive.''

Both current and former players hold Morris in high esteem.

''I love playing for Coach Morris,'' said standout tackle Tommy Moody, who - unlike the vast majority of Taylor players who begin and end their football careers in Pierson - will play at a big-time college program. ''He treats everybody the same. And I know if I need advice on something, I can always talk to him.''

Pine Ridge coach Jim Worthington also played for Morris before going on to to Duke University.

What Worthington remembers most about his former mentor was the enjoyment of the game that Morris brought to his players.

''He (Morris) was real comedic,'' Worthington said. ''He always kept everything loose. I think that's why he gets so much out of his players.''

Morris, the dean of Volusia County football coaches, has seen many changes over the years.

''There are so many more things for kids to do today,'' Morris said. ''In our case when I was growing up, there were just three channels on TV. We spent a lot of time just playing outside.

''Today's kids need a lot more patience and understanding. So many of them are from single-parent homes. Many have to hold down jobs. As coaches we have to be able to bend a little more.''

What advice does Morris give to aspiring coaches?

''I would like to see more (coaches) get involved,'' said Morris who aspired to be a teacher before he joined the coaching ranks. ''Too many young coaches do not want to pay their dues. They want to start out as either a head coach or a coordinator right away.

''But the most important factor for any young coach is this - have fun and never forget that all of this is for the kids.''